The Sunday herald., 1887-01-02
"LA FoLLE DE ST. JOSEPH"
A story OF Love ana Insanity from q
.aryA

Buried between the mouldering covers Of tn
"Chronique Scandaleuse.' the Gossiping Chronicle
ne Co court oI h1as M,v & 81 France upon wn9s,
rous circle entered with their own hands what the
had heard that was new and Interesting, have
found this one gem OF pure sentiment and pnthos
SO far as know 1t has never been translated, an,
yet II IL well worthy OF notice, II only for Its presen
tatlon OF an Interesting phase, real or Imagined,
insanity. tits from the pen OF an unknown chcv
alier, and Ia called
THE MAD WOMAN OF SAINT JosErn
twas twelve O'Clock, midnight. The lamp In III,
court had Just gone out, and was retiring TO M
own apartments, when heard noise on the grant
.wlo is ,hat2 What are you doing therean
as Il with emotion and not with fear, answered.:
"lts only me; you sce-lm waiting here fol
As was assuredly not the one who was awaited,
was pursuing my way TO my apartment when the
same voice went on:
"Listen. Listen and don't make any noise.n
Drawing near the place, saw dlmly, standing
near the last step Of the staircase aud resting ont
hand upon the great pillar that is there, a young
her waist and her hair floating down her shoulders.
"Listen," she said, and took my hand; 81 will moi
hurt you, aud you Will not hurt me, for will do nc
harm upon your staircase: Ilonly stand in the tilt
corner here, where nobody will see me. and m do
no harm to anybody. But don't tell him; hS
come down. and then shall see him, and f."
At every one Ofthese words my surprise Increased
and sought to recall whether had ever seen the
was unfamiliar to me, and 1t was impossible to sec
the features OF her face. She went on to speak, hui
er Ideas , became 9 confused ana nothing was cea,
Of her heart. which found Its reflection In the inde
scrbable sadness Of her tones
l Interrupted her with an attempt to make her
| realize our situation.
at would not he pleasant said, "for any ono
to ind Won on this staircase"
"Oh ~ she said, 81 see you do not know about this
II s only he who isany one, all the rest are nothing
and when he comes he does not 10 as you lo-he
uoes no. sten 10 VIVA. ne nears' ne goes n.I neaI
1t won't be forever!"
AS she said this she drew a medallion from her
breast, which she kissed with transports.
At that very instant we heard a door open, and a
lackey holding lamp in his hand revealed to me
form Of his unhappy victim. She could only sustain
herself until after the young man had disappeared
gave way, and she fell upon the step at the foot o
the pillar which had hidden u.s.:
NY Grst impulse was to call LOT help, h but fell
took her In my arms: happened to have bottle
OF smelling salts In my pocket: which caused hel
to nhale. She rallied n little. Taking both hel
hands in one OF mlne with the other sustained hel
head; and when she began to orecover herconscions
ness her body underwent series OF convulsivt
movements Twice she sighed deeply; her chest
seemed weighted down. and the sounds that she he
gan TO make were smothered by her grief.
At last she seemed restored to consciousness. hui
she remained silent for some time. / did not dare
to interrupt her. But at last she spoke:
Listen, am all righ! now. but ! onght TO have
told yon. Tho accident that has happened TO me
has frightened you, and am sorry. ] used to be
frightened too. when had them, but am moi now.
@ Wes opr ST to as a n
and that is all that's left for me. But have found
out that am not going to die. Just as soon az he
shall die too, hut without that it is impossible fol
one can't die unless one lives, and 1t isn't that am
So Sse pe s
Just at the time that he began togo up this stair
way. did every desperate thing that could in my
simple, tool could not die. Now my reason has
come back; everything goes and comes as It did
she comes aud goes. Yes, 1t Is she who is in this
medallion. You shall see; 1t is n portrait but II
isn't his portrait. What use would that be? lie Is
az he soul be; there Ia nothing to do, nothing to
change.
"If YOU only knew what this portrait means tC
me! 1t ia of her who Ia up stalrs-oh, how crue
she Is! What trouble she has caused me, what an
guish she has brought to my heart since she nrs
approached It! She has deraDged everything
broken everything, destroyed everything! Tortured
onee %y sosryw ny ay
went, aud alone, to his chamber. lie was not there
saw this portrait on the table; seized 1t and ran
away!"
When she had uttered these words she began to
laugh wildly, and then went on to speak OF prone
thoughts had once more become composed. After
some insants she ceased 10 speak, apparently en-
hausted. approached nearer and said:
"Why do you keep and cherish 80 closely this por.
trait OF the one who 80 cruelty wronged you?"
"Why!" she exclaimed, "you don't know that
1t is the only hope have Every day take IT. and
with II In my hand go to the looking-gIass There
standing before the glass, / shape and bend
my features into the likeness of hers; have begun
to look like her already and by and by, with hard
work aud patience, shall resemble her exactly
Then shall visit my lover; lie Will like me then
and Will have no need to come TO her who IL ur
stairs. am sure that he will like me then Sec
upon how little our happiness depends! 1t nj
turned upon certain features which ceased TO ar
range themselves to his fancy: But why didn't he
tell me so at the timer / should have done as an
doing now, and so patiently, aud without the heart
break. But probably lie didn't think of It." - :
"Every night ] come to this staircase. He dOel
moor heart Since beam 10 TOOK IKE IN,
portrait count several bedtings less than be
Adeu."
went ont with her as far as the street door. and
them as she turned fateringly to the left went OF
a few steps further with her. Her eyes were lxet
up0n a circle Of light which the street lamps madt
before us.
"You see all these lamps" she said suddenly
" they are like the generations OF men that pas
one after another, blown and agtated by the winds
A single nre lights them all; they are separated by
equal distances; they burn only by consuming then
own substance ;the child that lights them knows M
more what he doesthan the chance atextinguistes
them. After this, how can Won he astOnished II
our happiness IL 30 easily disturbed In this world! y
with sort Of fascination.
''Stop," she said, ''go back to your home. I an
taking away portion OF your sleep. and do III
Sleep Is 80 sweet when one IL happy!"
did not dare to disturb her by gong further
But, In the fear that some mishap might occur Il
her, followed some distance behind, never lettins
my eyes leave her. But Rhe stopped soon before
the door of little house, and disappeared within II
went home with heart and soul alike stirred.
could not elace her image from my eyes, and agaiI
ana again reraced the cause OF her BOrrOw, Bh,
had told II TO me. was too much affected TO hon,
for sleep, and In waiting for the day wrote wha
had occurred; May the story prove interesting tt